An investigation of life-limiting factors in sealed-off CO2lasers

Although it may be possible to obtain higher power from CO2lasers in which the gases flow continuously through the discharge region, there are-many applications in which some power can be sacrificed if the reward is a small, sealed-off laser which does not require peripheral gas supplies, valves and pump. With proper design mechanical failure of the sealed-off laser can be eliminated so that its life will be limited by degradation of the gas mixture.